2021 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

American college football season

2021 Eastern Michigan Eagles football
LendingTree Bowl, L 20–56 vs. Liberty
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record7–6 (4–4 MAC)
Head coach
  • Chris Creighton (8th season)
Defensive coordinatorNeal Neathery (6th season)
Home stadiumRynearson Stadium
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 Mid-American Conference football standings
  • v
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 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Kent State xy   6 – 2     7 – 7  
Miami (OH)   5 – 3     7 – 6  
Ohio   3 – 5     3 – 9  
Bowling Green   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Buffalo   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Akron   1 – 7     2 – 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois xy$   6 – 2     9 – 5  
Central Michigan x   6 – 2     9 – 4  
Toledo   5 – 3     7 – 6  
Ball State   4 – 4     6 – 7  
Eastern Michigan   4 – 4     7 – 6  
Western Michigan   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Championship: Northern Illinois 41, Kent State 23
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant

The 2021 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles were led by eighth-year head coach Chris Creighton and played their home games at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan. They competed as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). For the third time in the past six seasons (2016, 2018), the Eagles clinched a winning record, becoming the sixth Eagle team to reach seven wins.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 3 7:00 p.m. Saint Francis (PA)* ESPN3 W 35–15 16,461
September 11 7:00 p.m. at No. 18 Wisconsin* FS1 L 7–34 70,967
September 18 3:30 p.m. at UMass* NESN+ W 42–28 7,012
September 25 2:00 p.m. Texas State*
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypsilanti, MI
 ESPN+ W 59–21 14,253
October 2 2:00 p.m. at Northern Illinois ESPN+ L 20–27 10,034
October 9 3:30 p.m. Miami (OH)
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypsilanti, MI
 ESPN+ W 13–12 15,664
October 16 2:00 p.m. Ball State
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypsilanti, MI
 ESPN+ L 31–38 15,258
October 23 12:00 p.m. at Bowling Green ESPN+ W 55–24 10,875
November 2 7:30 p.m. at Toledo ESPN2 W 52–49 14,997
November 9 8:00 p.m. Ohio
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypsilanti, MI
 ESPN2 L 26–34 13,636
November 16 7:30 p.m. Western Michigan
ESPN2 W 22–21 15,272
November 26 12:00 p.m. at Central Michigan ESPNU L 10–31 7,708
December 18 5:45 p.m. vs. Liberty* ESPN L 20–56 15,186
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[1]

Game summaries

Saint Francis (PA)

at No. 18 (FBS) Wisconsin

Eastern Michigan vs. Wisconsin – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 0 077
No. 18 Badgers 7 17 3734

at Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin

  • Date: September 11, 2021
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C); Sunny; Wind at SW3 MPH
  • Game attendance: 70,967
  • Referee: Reggie Smith
  • TV announcers (FS1): Dan Hellie (play-by-play) and Robert Smith (analyst)
Game information
First quarter
  • WISC – Chez Mellusi 6-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 4:39 (Wisconsin, 7–0)
Second quarter
  • WISC – Collin Larsh 33-yard field goal, 13:39 (Wisconsin, 10–0)
  • WISC – Jalen Berger 6-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 7:02 (Wisconsin, 17–0)
  • WISC – Isaac Guerendo 82-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 4:40 (Wisconsin, 24–0)
Third quarter
  • WISC – Larsh, 39-yard field goal, 8:02 (Wisconsin, 27–0)
Fourth quarter
  • EMU – Chase Wolf pass intercepted for a TD, Chad Ryland kick, 9:38 (Wisconsin, 27–7)
  • WISC – Braelon Allen 1-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 4:16 (Wisconsin, 34–7)

Top passers

  • EMU – Preston Hutchinson – 6/13, 53 yards, INT
  • WISC – Graham Mertz – 14/17, 141 yards

Top rushers

  • EMU – Preston Hutchinson – 3 rushes, 12 yards
  • WISC – Chez Mellusi – 20 rushes, 144 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • EMU – Zach Westmoreland – 2 receptions, 35 yards
  • WISC – Kendric Pryor – 4 receptions, 54 yards

Top defenders

  • EMU – Scott Woo – 3 tackles, 2 TFL, sack
  • WISC – John Torchio – 3 tackles, TFL, 0.5 sack

Ball State

Ball State at Eastern Michigan
1 234Total
• Ball State 14 3714 38
Eastern Michigan 0 14314 31
Pregame line Over/under
BALL –1.0 55.5
Statistics Ball State Eastern Michigan
First downs 29 27
Total yards 433 385
Rushing yards 200 46
Passing yards 233 339
Turnovers 0 2
Time of possession 32:43 27:17
Team Category Player Statistics
Ball State Passing Drew Plitt 27/35, 207 yards, 1 TD
Rushing Carson Steele 18 carries, 138 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Justin Hall 10 receptions, 58 yards
Eastern Michigan Passing Ben Bryant 35/48, 331 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Rushing Jawon Hamilton 8 carries, 40 yards
Receiving Dylan Drummond 7 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD

at Central Michigan (Michigan MAC Trophy)

Michigan MAC Trophy
1 234Total
Eastern Michigan 0 370 10
• Central Michigan 7 3714 31
Pregame line Over/under
CMU –8.5 63.5
Statistics Eastern Michigan Central Michigan
First downs 15 22
Total yards 226 366
Rushing yards 5 236
Passing yards 221 130
Turnovers 1 1
Time of possession 27:17 32:43
Team Category Player Statistics
Eastern Michigan Passing Ben Bryant 24/35, 221 yards
Rushing Bryson Moss 5 carries, 26 yards
Receiving Tanner Knue 7 receptions, 70 yards
Central Michigan Passing Daniel Richardson 12/24, 130 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing Lew Nichols III 44 carries, 194 yards, 1 TD
Receiving JaCorey Sullivan 4 receptions, 46 yards, 2 TDs

References

  1. ^ "2021 Eastern Michigan Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
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Eastern Michigan Eagles football
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  • Normal Field (1927–1936)
  • Briggs Field (1937–1968)
  • Rynearson Stadium (1969–present)
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